Exhibition

Paul R. Williams, Architect, scheduled to open at the end of September, will consist of vintage and new photographs, drawings, video sequences and interviews, new models. Part of the exhibition is an interactive timeline that will allow visitors to explore specific projects and topics as well as the social, cultural, and political contexts of their times. The exhibition will chronicle Williams' life in three stages: his youth in a burgeoning Los Angeles, his education, mentors, and the opening of his first office (1884-1924); Williams' early practice, including the grand houses and watering holes for the stars and others among Hollywood's rich and famous, the development of his institutional and commercial designs and the spread of his career across the country (1925-1950); Williams' growing importance as a national and international architect and as a participant in American cultural life until his retirement and death (1951-1980).

The exhibition will emphasize Williams' unique role as an architect of African American descent, the unusual scope and defining characteristics of his architectural work, and his legacy that includes contemporary efforts in historic preservation and new scholarship.